Florida to Alaska Motorcycle Shipping

Florida to Alaska Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

You will not find a per-mile figure for this lane, because the sea leg is not priced by the mile. Online broker estimates for an open bike to Anchorage usually run from about $1,000 to $2,300, with crated or enclosed service above that. The Seattle docks are on the far side of the country from Florida, so the truck portion makes up much of the cost, and Florida pickups tend to price in the top half of that range.

Three things move the number most: the bike, the Florida city it leaves from, and the week you book. Big touring machines such as a Gold Wing need more deck space and often cost more. Trikes and sidecar rigs usually add $150 to $300, and crating runs roughly $150 to $400, which some ocean carriers prefer. At least one line states that a bike shipped without a crate must be strapped to a pallet and travels at the owner's risk, so get each carrier's prep rules in writing.

The calendar counts for more on this lane than on a lower-48 run. Northbound demand climbs in spring as Anchorage gets ready for its May riding kickoff, and southbound bikes pile up in late summer and fall. Winter slows both directions. Booking in a slow week can earn a lower offer, and carriers differ on whether the sailing is folded into one price with the truck.

Rather than guess at prices, the table below lists the usual lanes and what changes the cost. Line up several quotes side by side. For ways to save on any route, read our money-saving tips.

Truck to Washington State, Then a Sailing North

Every Florida to Alaska move begins on land. A carrier from our network picks up the bike at or close to your home in Miami, Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville and trucks it to a port terminal in the Seattle and Tacoma area. There it is loaded on a barge or ship bound for Anchorage. Sailings run on a fixed timetable and the carrier reserves a spot for your bike, so if the truck is delayed, the bike waits for the following departure.

Riding north yourself is possible, though it is a different kind of project. The Alaska Marine Highway runs ferries that take vehicles from Bellingham, Washington, but it is a passenger and vehicle ferry rather than a bike shipper, and winter sailings are fewer. Travel Alaska tells drivers going through Canada to keep proof of insurance and registration on hand and to check border rules before leaving. The Alaska Highway finishes at Delta Junction, where the Richardson Highway carries on to Fairbanks.

Anchorage is where nearly all bikes are unloaded. The George Parks Highway starts at the Glenn Highway near Wasilla and covers 323 miles to Fairbanks. Delivery trucks stick to paved roads in town, so riders living off the highway around Wasilla, Palmer or Fairbanks should expect to meet the driver at a lot near the main road.

Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka in Southeast Alaska have no road connection to Anchorage, so a bike headed there needs one more trip by water. Tell the dispatcher the town, not just the state.

How Your Motorcycle Is Loaded and Secured for the Trip

A good driver loads a motorcycle upright. The front wheel goes into a chock so it can't move, and soft straps go around solid points like the frame or the lower triple clamp. The straps are tightened enough to hold the bike but not so much that they bottom out the forks. Hooks stay off your bars, levers and paint.

Tie-downs matter a lot on this run. The bike rides for days on a truck and then for days more at sea. Crated or enclosed service protects it on both legs, and some ocean lines insist on a crate. At least one line asks for less than a quarter tank of fuel. Look the motorcycle over beside the driver and record any scuff the report leaves out. Hold on to the report and photos until the bike is safely parked in Alaska.